LIVERPOOL, a large, flourishing, and populous town of England, in the county of Lancaster, situated at the influx of the river Mersey into the sea, in North Lat. 53. 24. and West Long. 2. 50. This town was of little importance till the end of the 17th century, but from that time it has increased with extraordinary rapidity. In 1699 the population was about 5000, and in 1710, when the first wet dock was constructed, there were about 84 ships belonging to the port, averaging 70 tons and 11 men each. In 1720 an act was procured for opening an inland navigation with Manchester, and for improving the water communication with the Cheshire salt mines, both of which have been of immense advantage to Liverpool. In 1764 the population was 26,000, in 1790 it was 56,000, in 1801 it was 77,600, and in 1811 it was 94,376, exclusive of 7000 sailors. In 1793 she possessed 92,098 tons of shipping. In the year, ending 5th July 1818, the number of ships that entered the port amounted to 6779, the tonnage to 754,690. The dock duties, which in 1724 amounted to 810l. 11s. 6d., were 76,915l. 8s. 8d. in 1815, when the official value of the imports was 8,000,000l. sterling, and of the exports 12,000,000l. In 1818 the dock duties amounted to 98,538l. 8s. 3d. It is by far the greatest sea-port in Britain, except London. It has been estimated that one twelfth of the shipping of Great Britain is furnished by Liverpool; that it has one fourth of her foreign trade, and one sixth of her general commerce; and that its exports and imports amount to not less than one half of those of London.
The Liverpool merchants have engaged eagerly in the trade to India since it was thrown open. One vessel was sent out in 1815; next year there were eight vessels in the trade; in 1817 they were increased to 17, with a tonnage of 7538; and from the commencement to September 1818, no fewer than 80 vessels have been employed in the Indian trade. The exports in this trade are chiefly broad cloths and woollens, Birmingham hardware and Sheffield cutlery, Manchester and Glasgow piece goods, Nottingham hosiery, Staffordshire earthen ware, Irish linens, iron, copper, lead, salt, glass, hats, malt liquors, and dollars. The imports are cotton, rice, indigo, sugar, saltpetre, ginger, pimento, and other spices, turmeric, safflower, and other dyes.
The docks of Liverpool are upon a very extensive scale. When the new one begun in 1816 is finished, the total space occupied by the whole will exceed 60 acres. They communicate with one another by tunnels, by which means the water of one is made to wash out the others, and carry off the mud. Along the docks are extensive warehouses, into which goods are removed from the ships with great ease.
There are few manufactories in Liverpool. The most considerable are those for articles connected with the shipping, such as cordage. There is also an extensive pottery, some salt-works, glass-houses, and upwards of 50 breweries, from some of which large quantities of malt liquor are sent abroad. Many of the buildings are elegant; but the old streets are narrow; which defect will soon be removed, as the
Liverpool. corporation have lately obtained an act of parliament for the improvement of the town, which they have already begun to put in force with great spirit, having taken down the principal streets in the centre of the town, and rebuilt them in a spacious and most magnificent manner; so that in a few years it will be one of the handsomest towns in England. This town contains sixteen churches, namely, St Peter's, St Nicholas's, St George's, St Thomas's, St Paul's, St Ann's, St John's, Trinity, St James's, St Catherine's, St Mary's, St Stephen's, St Matthew's, St Mark's, Christ Church, and All Saints. There are also meetings for independents, anabaptists, quakers, methodists, and presbyterians. The exchange is a noble structure, built of white stone in the form of a square, and round it are piazzas where the merchants assemble to transact business. Its area is twice the extent of that of London. Above it are the mayor's offices, the sessions-hall, the council-chamber, and two elegant ball-rooms. The expence of erecting this building amounted to nearly 100,000l. In its centre is a superb group of bronze statuary, representing the death of Nelson. The custom-house is situated at the head of the old dock, and is a handsome and convenient structure. Here are many charitable foundations, among which is an excellent grammar school well endowed, and many of the youth taught in it have exhibitions in the universities. The infirmary is a large edifice of brick and stone, situated on a hill in a very pleasant airy situation, at one end of the town. Above 1500 patients are admitted annually.
In the town is a charity-school, supported by voluntary subscriptions and contributions, for 50 boys and 12 girls, who are not only clothed and educated, but also provided with food and lodging: likewise several alms houses for the widows of seamen; and an excellent poor-house, superior to any in the kingdom, where upwards of 800 men, women, and children, are supported, many of whom are employed in spinning cotton and wool. The new prison is a noble edifice, and upon a very extensive scale. It is built entirely on the plan of the great and benevolent Mr Howard, for solitary confinement; and is perhaps the most convenient, airy, magnificent building of the kind of Europe.
Liverpool received its charter from King John; but it was a borough by prescription long before his reign. It is under the government of a recorder, mayor, and an unlimited number of aldermen, two bailiffs, and a common council of forty of the principal inhabitants, with a town-clerk and other proper officers. The town has a weekly market on Saturday, and is distant from London 204 miles. The income of the corporation is not less than 1,60,000l. a-year. It sends two members to parliament, who are chosen like the magistrates, by the votes of all the free burgesses not receiving alms. The number who polled at the general election in 1818 was 2905.
By means of inland navigation, Liverpool has communication with the rivers Dee, Ribble, Onse, Trent, Darwent, Severn, Humber, Thames, Avon, &c.; which navigation, including its windings, extends above 500 miles, in the counties of Lincoln, Nottingham, York, Westmoreland, Chester, Stafford, Warwick, Leicester, Oxford, Worcester, &c. The Mersey, upon which
the town is situated, abounds with salmon, cod, flounders, turbot, plaice, and smelts; and at full sea it is above two miles over. Fresh water is brought into the town by pipes, from some springs four miles off, pursuant to an act of parliament in the reign of Queen Anne. The dispensary of this town does honour to human nature, and has been of the most singular advantage to the afflicted, since 172,273 diseased persons were cured between the years 1778 and 1794, being on an average about 10,000 persons every year. The Union News Room was instituted on the 1st of January 1801; the Lyceum much about the same period, the erection of which cost the sum of 11,000l. and the Commercial News Room in 1803. The Liverpool institution for the promotion of science, literature, and the arts, was founded in 1817. The institution for restoring drowned persons is worthy of notice, as more than 400 people have become objects of it since it was founded, and more than one half of that number have been restored. The Athenæum, which comprises a news room and library, was projected in 1798, and finished before the close of the year. There are four weekly papers published at Liverpool.